1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, an imaging method, and a recording medium with a program stored therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
In digital cameras, mobile phones having an imaging function, etc., the limit of a viewing angle is dependent on the hardware specification of the device body, such as the focal distance of the lens, the size of the image sensor, and the like.
Therefore, a technique is known that, when acquiring a wide-angle image that exceeds a hardware specification, such as when performing panoramic imaging, continuously captures images while moving the imaging apparatus in a certain direction, and generates a wide-angle image by combining the acquired plurality of images (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2002-027312).
However, there is a problem in the above-described conventional technique. Although it is effective when a viewing angle is widen in one direction, a direction in which images should be captured during continuous capture is difficult to know when a wide-angle image that spreads in two directions is to be generated, and accordingly a desired image is difficult to acquire.
An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus, an imaging method, and a recording medium with a program stored therein by which images necessary to generate a wide-angle image can be easily and efficiently acquired.